Anyone entering any of the comps?

[Hobbiestwriter]

I've submitted for Bridport, now umming and ahhing at the Blue pencil agency one. Never submit to bath as the bombared me with emails every year about it, and the same sort of things seem to win every year there. Anyone else?

Have Cheshire announced that they’re not doing snippets this year? I liked them too.

I think I read somewhere they aren't doing it this year, as sone people found it stressful

I'll try Myslexia.

I've entered the short story for the Bridport. And need to sit down and have a proper look at what else there is coming up.

I don't remember how I found this website, but it has a list of interesting comps, if anyone is interested: www.thenovelry.com/blog/writing-competitions

Following an unexpected long listing in a recent competition, (unexpected because my track record in competitions is pretty poor) I decided to enter a few more this year to give myself the buzz of submitting to agents without having to have finished this latest draft. Although, of course, with Bath, I do have a deadline to aim for. So, yes, I've gone in for Bath, Cheshire, and First Novel. Also the I Am In Print one, which may be lesser known, but was offering around 12 categories, and judged completely by agents with no filtering by first round readers. Do check it out. Also their agent one-to-ones might be useful to some of you.
I know some people have been disappointed by the feedback received from the Cheshire Novel Prize, but that competition was a bit of a turning point for me, as a couple of years ago they told me I had only just missed the 'long' long list. To be told it was a near miss meant so much I didn't even care about not making the LL. I was so used to sending off my opening chapters, only for my entry to disappear into the void leaving me with a confidence crash and the big unanswered question as to why my novel fell short. Cheshire gave me the boost I really needed at the time.
Competitions are strange things. In my experience, a novel can fail to make the long lists but still attract serious attention from major agents or, conversely, it can be shortlisted for one of the glitziest prizes and never find a publisher. Someone once told me they're a bit of a lottery. But I guess none of use are immune to the thrill of a congratulatory email ... So good luck and fingers crossed!

Just seen on twitter that the Cheshire Novel Award isn't going next year, adults or kids.
apparently they had around 600 less submissions than last year.

Feel quite sad, I liked Cheshire.

What does everyone else think about it?

i think:

1. The big novel competitions seem to all come at once and I am loathe to submit to the all, so I just pick a couple. I imagine all the competitions are down this year due to cost of living etc?
2. As said upthread, the winners often tend to be a bit too worthy and affected, rather than really good books I want to buy. Cheshire seems to have a bit of variety at least.
3. Perhaps people are wising up that it's not the best way to get published? Although I love submitting to competitions as it gives me motivation!

How many did they have last year? 600 sounds like a lot less! Wonder how other competitions fared?

I wonder whether it’s partly because so many people have left twitter / X? I used to see a lot of the competition related posts on there and often they’re less active on Insta etc. I’m not a TikTok kind of person and so I’ve lost that writing community somewhat.

1900 according to the long list announcement.

Would LOVE to know the numbers for the other comps

Yes possibly. Would have thought it would have affected all the competitions if so

I think she threatened to stop a year or two ago as well, I think it’s a massive amount of work and they get some level of disgruntled / abusive applicants. The social media messages they were sending out about when you get feedback started to sound a bit tetchy which I assume is related to that. I didn’t see any of it this year though, which makes me wonder again if it’s because they’re not doing it or because I’m just not seeing the right social media platform for it.

Agreed but maybe easier to weather for the more established ones.

I'm a volunteer at Southlands Arts Centre in Hillingdon. We're a charity and we run an annual writing competition. The competition is currently open for entries - the deadline is midnight 31 July 2025. There are under 18 and over 18 categories, life writing and fiction for both age groups. If you enter life writing, it must be about your life and if you enter fiction there is a theme - this year it is the weather. Think Frankenstein, Shakespeare, Tennesse Williams, F Scott Fitzgerald's The Ice Palace, etc. The weather is important in all of these works.

We are very much interested in writing as healing - lots of research shows that writing helps people heal from trauma and is excellent for wellbeing.

If you're interested the full details are on our website. Southlands Arts Centre in West Drayton.

I get the distinct impression that they wouldn't pick an English based winner for that one.

@spoonbillstretford I did check the T&C's - item 1 said it was open to all UK residents... but your cynicism might be justified - honestly I don't think it will be. I've done something interesting with what I submitted (not going to reveal that here before the closing date) - I fully expect to hear nothing back TBH but I enjoyed making myself compile something... as Newton deduced - you need an unbalanced force, a deadline, to make a writer get his arse into gear.

Meh. Didn't receive an email for a poetry competition I entered 2 into. Meant to come out today. I guess this is the start of the 'disappointment' part of the year!

Oh wow! I made the long list!!

Oh well done! That’s wonderful!

@EveInEden that’s wonderful news! Congratulations, and good luck with the next stage.

Anyone enter Bath? I see they are commenting on what they liked. I re read my entry last night, and think it feels weak. Not sure if it's because I'm over familiar with it.

Bath longlist announced this evening!

What i find disconcerting is the judge's always seem to be the same agents? 😆

Did you enter?

Yep. Just found out: didn't make the longlist, but did make the "top 100".

That's brilliant!! I didn't make it!